PUBLIC ## **14** ## **Trustees’ annual report (including Directors’ report) for the period** **From: 01.04.2024 To: 31.03.2025** **Charity name: Creating Better Futures Charity registration number: 1148929 Company number: 07856205** ## **Objectives and activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|To relieve poverty through the advancement
of education and through the improvement of
basic welfare for the public benefit of
orphans and vulnerable children in
Zimbabwe and their communities.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|Creating Better Futures provides access to
education, including school fees, for orphans
and vulnerable children in rural communities
in Zimbabwe.
Creating Better Futures has supported
education through the provision of daily
nutritional meals to around 5,000 children via
three Primary School feeding programs, but
due to financial challenges we closed this
program in July 2024.
Creating Better Futures initiates projects, on
an ad-hoc basis, that help support education
and benefit the children, schools and/or local
community.| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|We confirm the trustees have had regard to
the Charity Commission’s guidance on
public benefit.| PUBLIC ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|Creating Better Futures primarily performs
its charitable activities through its sister
organisation, Creating Better Futures
Zimbabwe.
Grants totalling £28,590 were made and the
delivery of these activities monitored.
Creating Better Futures do not make any
other grants.| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|Creating Better Futures have not made any
social investments to date.| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Creating Better Futures employed one part-
time staff member until June 2024.
One volunteer has contributed their time and
skills to help maintain Creating Better
Futures operations throughout the year.| |Other||None| ## **Achievements and performance** |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|Creating Better Futures continued to provide
school fees, supporting children at several
primary and secondary schools in two main
areas: Mutare; and Domboshawa. From
January 2025 we have reduced this to focus
solely on children individually sponsored.
We also delivered the associated feeding
program during the first term of the year, but
due to financial challenges we closed this
program in July 2024.
Due to resource challenges, we did not host
any fundraising events ourselves during the
year, although several supporters raised
funds on our behalf by running the Reading
Half Marathon and through a local
secondary school.
Creating Better Futures received a general
grant during the year from Reading Family
Church. Through these grants we were able
to maintain our operations.
During the year we delivered a revised
sanitary towel project by training six Africa| |---|---|---| PUBLIC based charities to resource and deliver their own sanitary towel projects, as due to several constraints we were unable to deliver this ourselves. During the year Creating Better Futures continued to be provided with free office space in Reading by Centric Community Projects, but this has principally been used for storage. **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|Our finances weakened year on year, with
our expenditure continuing to exceed our
income, resulting in us needing to scale back
our activities.
We were able to ensure our sponsored
children remained in school throughout the
year by paying fees and to deliver a single
term of the feeding program.
We did, however, deliver a revised sanitary
towel project, by upskilling and training six
better resourced Africa based charities to
deliver their own programs to provide girls
with access to sanitary towels.| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|The funds raised by Creating Better Futures
during the year continued to reduce year on
year.
This was due to slight reductions in
individual donations, as well as the lack of
events and fundraising.| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|Creating Better Futures do not have any
investments.| |Other||None| ## **Financial review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Creating Better Futures has had another
challenging year, with our expenditure
continuing to exceed our income.
During the year, we focussed on reducing
costs, this included staff redundancy and
scaling back our charitable programs. We
took the difficult decision to close our feeding
program in July 2024 and reduce the fee
payments made from January 2025 to focus
on sponsored children only.| |---|---|---| PUBLIC |||Despite limited donor communication and
fundraising activity, we still have a
committed base of regular donors, with our
income only reducing sightly year on year.
With minimal volunteer resource in the UK,
we have limited opportunity to generate
additional funds. The trustees continue to
keep a close eye on our financial position to
enable us to continue to support the
sponsored children with school fees during
the coming year.| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Creating Better Futures aims to retain
reserves equal to a month’s expenditure,
based on a rolling 12-month average. This
should be sufficient to meet any unforeseen
expenditure or to be able to continue, in the
short term, funding planned activities in the
event of unexpected drops in income.
Reserves will be utilised at the Trustees
discretion.
It is necessary to hold sufficient working
capital to enable the termly payment of
school fees.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£9,294| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|Not applicable| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|None noted.| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|The trustees have considered Creating
Better Futures ability to continue as a going
concern.
While we are experiencing increased
operating costs, a challenging fundraising
environment and reductions in our human
resources, the trustees have reviewed all our
activities and have worked to reduce costs
during the year to ensure our continuing
operation as a going concern.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Creating Better Futures has four principal
funding types: individual donations, funding
from organisations, individuals fundraising
on our behalf and funds raised during our
own events.| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|Creating Better Futures does not have any
investments.| PUBLIC |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|Creating Better Futures is exposed to
several risks and the trustees are focussed
on mitigating these risks where possible.
The principal risks facing Creating Better
Futures are:
-
Challenges to fundraising activities, due
to the economic cost of living challenges
in the UK and reduced number of
volunteer team resource;
-
Heavy reliance on key team members
both in the UK and Zimbabwe;
-
Continued high costs both in the UK and
Zimbabwe, due to general global inflation
and unfavourable GBP/USD exchange
rates; and
-
Continued political, economic, and
infrastructural instability in Zimbabwe
challenging our ability to deliver our
charitable activities efficiently.| |---|---|---| |Other||The expenditure in the UK relating to
supporting the charitable activities, running
costs, fundraising activities, and governance.| ## **Structure, governance and management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document:
for example,trust deed,
memorandum and articles of
association etc|Para 1.25|Memorandum and Articles| |How is the charity
constituted?
for example limited company,
unincorporated association,
CIO|Para 1.25|Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Appointed by Board of Trustees| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|All new trustees are briefed by the other
trustees on the key activities of Creating
Better Futures and are also required to read
the range of guidance produced by Charity
Commission, including The Essential
Trustee (CC3)| |---|---|---| PUBLIC |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|Creating Better Futures is governed by the
Board of Trustees.
The day-to-day management was performed
by the Chief Executive Officer on a part-time
basis, but during the year we needed to
scale back our activities and reduce our
costs. As a result, this role as made
redundant in June 2024 and Creating Better
Futures no longer employees any staff.
One of the trustees oversees operations on
an ad-hoc volunteer basis.
Creating Better Futures is not part of a wider
network.| |---|---|---| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|Creating Better Futures delivers its
charitable activities in Zimbabwe through its
sister organisation, Creating Better Futures
Zimbabwe.| |Other||None| ## **Reference and administrative details** |Charity name|Creating Better Futures| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|CBF or CBF UK| |Registered charitynumber|1148929| |Charity’s principal address|First Floor Unit 4 Beacontree Plaza
Gillette Way
Reading
Berkshire
RG2 0BS| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Samantha Bramwell|||CBF Board of Trustees| ||Michael John Dix|Treasurer||CBF Board of Trustees| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| PUBLIC ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved. |**Director name**|| |---|---| |None|None| ||| Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**| |---|---| |None|None| ||| ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** |Description of the assets
held in this capacity|N/A| |---|---| |Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this
falls within the custodian
charity’s objects|N/A| |Details of arrangements for
safe custody and
segregation of such assets
from the charity’s own assets|N/A| ## **Additional information (optional)** **Names and addresses of advisers (optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||| |None|N/A|N/A| |||| ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (optional information)** N/A – We no longer employee any staff. ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A ## **Other optional information** None PUBLIC ## **Declarations** **The company has taken advantage of the small companies’ exemption in preparing the report above.** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report (including directors’ report) above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees/directors** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Michael Dix Sam Bramwell
Position (for example
Treasurer & Trustee Trustee
Secretary, Chair, etc)
Date
31/01/2026
**----- End of picture text -----**
|**Creating Better Futures**|**Creating Better Futures**|Charity No|1148929|1148929|| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |||Company No|07856205||| |Annual accounts for the period|||||| |Period start date|**01.04.2024**|**To**|Period end
date|**31.03.2025**|| ## **Section A Statement of financial activities (including summary income and expenditure account)** |Guidance Note
S01
S02
S03
S04
S05
S06
S07
**Expenditure (Notes 6)**
**Expenditure on:**
S08
S09
S10
S11
S12
S13
Tax payable
S14
S15
Net gains/(losses) on investments
S16
S17
**Extraordinary items**
S18
S19
S20
Other gains/(losses)
S21
S22
**_Reconciliation of_**
**_funds:_**
S23
S24
**_Total funds carried forward_**
**_Total_**
**Net income/(expenditure) after tax before**
**investment gains/(losses)**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**Transfers between funds**
Other trading activities
Gains and losses on revaluation of fixed assets for the
charity’s own use
**_Total_**
**Recommended categories by activity**
Total funds brought forward
Raising funds
Separate material item of income
Other
Other
Charitable activities
Investments
**Net income/(expenditure) before tax for**
**the reporting period**
**_Net movement in funds_**
Charitable activities
**Other recognised** **gains/(losses):**
Separate material expense item
**Income and endowments from:**
Donations and legacies
**Income (Note 3)**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**income**
**funds**
**Endowment**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
F01
F02
F03|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**income**
**funds**
**Endowment**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
F01
F02
F03|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**income**
**funds**
**Endowment**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
F01
F02
F03|**Total funds**
**Prior year**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
F04
F05|**Total funds**
**Prior year**
**funds**
**£**
**£**
F04
F05| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||14,410|16,040|-|30,450|30,144| ||975|-|-|975|1,150| ||-|-|-|-|-| ||-|-|-|-|-| ||-|-|-|-|1,663| ||2,400|-|-|2,400|10,000| ||17,785|16,040|-|33,825|42,957| ||||||| ||256|-|-|256|1,654| ||17,582|27,410|-|44,992|69,784| |||-|-|-|-| ||2,400|-|-|2,400|10,000| ||20,238|27,410|-|47,648|81,438| ||||||| ||2,453
-|11,370
-|-|13,823
-|38,481
-| ||-|-|-|-|-| ||2,453
-|11,370
-|-|13,823
-|38,481
-| ||-|-|-|-|-| ||2,453
-|11,370
-|-|13,823
-|38,481
-| ||-|-|-|-|| ||-|-|-|-|-| ||||||| ||-|-|-|-|-| ||-|-|-|-|-| ||2,453
-|11,370
-|-|13,823
-|38,481
-| ||||||| ||11,747|11,440|-|23,187|61,668| ||9,294|70|-|9,364|23,187| ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees** Charity Name Creating Better Futures **On accounts for the year** 31 March 2025 **Charity no 1148929 ended (if any) Set out on pages** In CC17a SOFA and Balance Sheet, and accompanying notes. (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended **31 / 03 / 2025** . **Responsibilities and** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. **Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or - the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or - the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. **Date:** 31/01/2026 **Signed: Name:** William B. Offei, FCA **Relevant professional** Chartered Member, Institute of Chartered Accounts in England & Wales. **qualification(s) or body (if any):** **Address:** 79 Yardley, Bracknell, RG12 8QT, UK 1 **Oct 2018** **IER** ## **Section B Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . none 2 **Oct 2018** **IER**